Sterilizing device



Aug. 20, 1940. A, Q THQMAS 2,212,330

STERILIZ ING DEVICE Original Filed May 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor trier.

STERJLIZING Didi/ECE .Albert G. Thomas, Lynchburg, Va.

`Application May 3, 1938, Serial lilo. 205,688 f Renewed January 5, i940 j f-.uNirEe smits Parent 5 Claims. (Cl. Z50-52) `This invention relatesy to ksterilizing devices. casemay be, to place glasses I2 in, or withdraw object is to provide a device for use at them from the interior of cabinet l. Glasses I2 soda fountains, in restaurants, in hotels, in are placed in openings lil in plate i6 which is supdairies, etc., for quickly sterilizing glasses, dishes, ported in section B of drawer l by means of lugs .l 15 vnbottles andthe like. y p il' attached to plates 3 and 4. Similarly the 5 'Y A furtherobject is to provide a sterilizer which glasses are placed in openings 2B of plate 2l in can be economically manufactured and which section A, plate 2l being supported by lugs i8 will bejeieotive and easily operated. attached to piates 2 and il. Bar l5'is fastened to v yOther objects willappear in the following devertical plates 2, il, and 3 in order to give rigidity l"-scription. to the drawer structure. Any suitable type of 10 In'the drawings: i bracing could be used however, or none at all, Figure` l is a side elevation, in part section, of depending upon the strength of the materials a sliding tray type sterilizer. used. 1 l .Figure 2 is aplan View of 'the sterilizer shown Walls i3 and 8 and end walls 22 and 23 of housin Figui-el. ing l are fastened to ybase I3. Rollers I4 are Figure 3 is a plan View of a rotary type sterilpreferably provided so that drawer I can be Y moved laterally with little eiort.

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Figure (l is a fragmentary side elevation, with Ultraviolet tube lamp 26 is fastened into socka -boundary wall partly' broken away, of the ets 25 and 25 attached to walls 22 and 23 re- ".20k sterilizer shown in Figure 3.* spectively. This lamp is connected in well known Figure 5 isa plan View, in part section, of a manner to asource oi supply of current, a transsterilizer with clamps for holding glasses. former being usually included in the circuit. Figure 6is an end elevation,` in part section, of Such circuits are well known and need not be f Athe.sterilizer shown in Figure. described here.

-V 25. Figure 7 is a fragmentary front elevation of a One end of tube 2S is supplied with current 25 novelglass support and sterilizer tube. through wire 2Q, through double acting time def' Figure 8 isa fragmentary front elevation of a lay switch `23 and through wire 2l. Pvoted vacuum cupf glass holder and screen protected switch arm 3@ will be struck by the upper part i j ysterili'zerA tube. of plate i and will 'therefore be rotated a certain l. Figure 9 is Van elevation lof a novel drinking distance to make current connection to lamp 26 30 i glass. for a denite period each time drawer I is moved f Figure 10v is an elevation of another novel to right or left'for the full travel of the drawer. ,drinkingv glass. Details of this switch are shown in Figure 1l. Figure Vil is'an elevation, in part section, of a, In operation, glasses l2 are placed in openings '-35 time delay switch. I9 or 2@ depending upon whether Ysection B or 35 Figure .l2 is aside elevation of a double acting section A is outside housing l. As an illustra- H tray sterilizer with time delay mechanisml tion we will say that A is initially outside and ;V4 Figure 13 is a side elevation of a moving belt therefore drawer i will be moved to theright to type sterilizer.` carry glasses i2 into housing l. This movement 'i 40 vFigure le is a front elevation, in part section, will be continued until plates 2 and d strike walls 40 of a VsterilizingV device for instruments such as 8 and 6 and cover up openings II and 5 respecknives, forks, spoons, etc. tively so that radiation from lamp 26 will be con- VInFigure i, drawer Vbottom I has vertical end fined to the interior of housing 'I. When plate f cover plates 2 and 3 either integral with or ati rotates and releases lever 35i lampi 25 will be v tached to bottom v I. Vertical plate 4 is attached illuminated for a definite time interval, say 30 45 Yto bottom l approximately midway between end seconds or more. Then switch 28 will automatiplatesg2 and 3. Plate is so positioned that it cally out off lamp 25 so that the irradiated glasses ywill strike againstwall 6 of housing-1 at the will be ready to use.

same instant that plate 2.strikesagainst 'wall 8 Before pushing drawer I to the left, washed l of housing l, when the drawer I is moved tothe glasses are placed in openings I9 in section B 50 Aright' by one of the .handles 9 or I0 attached to and drawer i is moved to the left until plate 4 plates 3 and 2 respectively. strikes the inner surface of wall 8 and so covers Rectangular opening 5 in wall S and a similar up opening Ii. At the same instant end plate f, openingnll Vin wall 8 are provided so that the 3 strikes the outer surface of wall 6 and covers drawenlimaybe movedto the left or right as the opening 5. By this operation the sterilized 55 in section B are carried inside housing so they will be sterilized. When plate 4 'moves to the left it again strikes lever 30 and causes lamp 26 to be energized for approximately the same time interval as before.

It has been demonstrated that such an ultraviolet lamp, of proper wave length, will destroy most bacteria usually encountered in'about 15 seconds. An exposure of articles to such rays for 30 seconds or more is therefore ample to sterilize such articles, be they glasses, dishes or other utensils.

The parts of the glassesnot'receiving direct rays from tube 26- will receive reflected rays so that they willpbe `effectively sterilized. In addition the ozone generated will produce a sterilizing eifect. If' desired however, a plurality of ultraviolet tubes may be used and may be arranged so that all desired parts of the glasses, especially theinteriors and upper outsideportions will receive direct rays.

While only one double acting switch 28 is shown it is obvious that two single acting switches could be used and'these could be placed so that the lamp 2t is not energized until the openings 5 and rare covered, in order to prevent even momentary rays of ultraviolet radiation from escaping. Excessive exposure to such rays may of course be harmful to the operator.

Part or `all of housing 'l may be made of light transparent material such as glass which is opaque to ultravioletrays.V Advertising matter can then be placed on housing and will be illuminated when tube 26 is energized. It may be desirable also for the public to be able to see the articles being sterilized.

Plates I6 and 2| mayvreadily be lifted out soV that the drawer and other parts can be cleaned. While the drawings show drawer as being slidable across the length of lamp 2B it is obvious that the drawer may be slidable at right angles to this direction by changing the positions of openings 5 and I. Rollers or other supports may be fastened*l to the bottom of plates 2 and 3 if desired. y

This sterilizer is a particularly convenient device' since as one batch of sterilized glasses is beingused, the other batch is being sterilized, and furthermorathe operation of the double section drawer prevents the usual lost motion in handling such devices. l

While the sterilizer is shown as holding 8 glasses to a section, it may be made to hold any desired number. In addition the glasses may be arranged in tiers, with a separate sterilizing tube for each tier, if desired.

It is obvious that rotary movement instead of sliding movement may be employed. In Figures 3 and 4 wedge shaped housing 3| has curved vertical end wall 32 and vertical side walls 33 and 34 attached to a suitable base. Vertical, plane cover plates 35, 36 and 31 are attached to bottom plate 38 and the combination is pivoted by vertical pivot rod 39 so that as cover plate 35 is rotated in clockwise direction to place `section C in housing 3|, end cover plate 3'! is rotated to bring the sterilized glasses in section D outside for use. At the instant that plate 35 strikes wall 33 to cover up the opening in wall 33, plate 36 coversup the opening in wall 34. This plate is 'shown vas tting flush but it can be made to overlap if desired. Similarlyv when plate 31 is rotated in counterclockwisev direction to cover the opening in wall 34, plate 3B will cover the opening in wall 33.

Ultraviolet lamp il!! is fastened in cabinet 3| in vertical position and a suitable automatic switch similar to switch 28 may be provided, or either of these switches may be manually operated.

Glasses 3i are placed in cups 42 which are welded or otherwise fastened to walls 3l and 36 and to Walls 35 and 33. These cups are fastened at a slight angle to prevent the glasses from falling out. The cups and glasses in compartment C are not shown.

This sterilizer is operated in virtually the same manner as the machine previously described eX- cept that the glasses are placed vertically and the movement of the drawer is circular instead of lateral. The vvertical arrangement of the glasses will tend to save space. The sterilizer could be placed horizontally, however, on suitable supports.

In Figures 5 and 6 the cabinet i3 has door 4@ hinged at i5 and glasses il@ are supported by flexibleV clamps il attached to cabinet 3. These clamps may have their gripping surfaces covered with rubber, rubber suction cups, or any suitable material to prevent slippage of glasses it which beneath and is suitably energized to irradiate the glasses. This tube can be disconnected from the current before door [l is opened. Guides i3d and @3b are provided to hold advertising mattei' such as a display card. This card may be translucent, if desired, and can be readily changed at will.

Infraglnentary Figure 'l glass l5 is shown as being supported on peg 53 which is fixed to bottom 52 `of the cabinet. Ultraviolet tube 5|, placed below, will irradiate glass fill.

In fragmentary Figure Sglass 53 is held by its bottom'by cneof rubber suction cups 5d which are` attached to the top 55 of a cabinet similar to cabinet d3. Screen 53 may be placed above ultraviolet tube 5l so that if a glass should fall it would be caught by this screen and would not bead 3| near the bottom of the glass. This bead 'f will prevent the glass from slipping off a suitable support. `This bead may be in sections instead of continuous as shown.

Figurell shows the details of double acting time delay switch oi' Figure l. Switch housing 28 has lever pivoted at E52. Arm 3l! is movable in slot E3 in housing' Fastened to arm 3|),r which is preferably of insulating material is metal switch arm @d to which is attached liexible conductor @li which `is brought out of casing` 23 through a suitable insulator. Metal or graphite contacts 63 and 5l are fastened to suitable insulating supports and are electrically connected by means of wire 63. Wire 63 is connected to contact 6l and is brought out of houslng'28 by means of a suitable insulator.

The midpoint of tension spring 'it is connected to lever 30 at l'|,.the ends of this spring being connected to the interior of housing 28. Spring 'lil is. adjusted so that .switch armllnormally rests midway between contacts 66 and 61, touchging neither. Damper iz'is pivoted to arm se by meansof rod'elso that when lever 3e,V and consequently. switch arm- 64, isrotated in either direction-.dashpot 'l2 will create a yielding resistance to create a` time interval before lspring 'Hllreturns switch arm @Il to central neutral` posiytion, after arm-lili is irst displaced. In the event -that wire 68 is not used to connect contacts 56 and-61, the switch may be used to operate two i circuits instead` of one.

- i. fwhiie adasnpot is showmit is. obvious that.

clockwork, a thermostatic switch, or other mechanism'may be -used to `delay the' switch action. In Figure l2 the construction is similar to that shown 'in Figure l except that drawer "itl is arrange to creep into housing 15 slowly for the y. last part of the travel, in order to expose all desired-portions of the glasses sufficiently to the rays fromultraviolet lamp it.. In this case base Tl isshown as' extended and end plates ld and 'i9 have bounding extended collars Bil and Si f respectively. These collars are for the purpose 25. of closing openings E?. and S3 in housing l5,

beforeend plates 'it andl are flush with the boundingwalls of openings 82 and 83.

Flat bar Slis' pivoted tohousing it at Si and has prongs 85'and 8b as shown. Tension spring 88is fastened to bar 84 at di! and to housing 'l5 at Sil-so that when' drawer 'ill is moved to the rightpin 9i on collar il will strike prong iii and will snap 'bar et over against a suitable stop.

Spring 88 will hold bar 85.! in this position until drawer 'M is moved to the left to place glasses resting upon drawer Min cabinet Pin s! will-then strike prong 85 and will cause spring 88 to pull Vbar 8 in counter-clockwise `direction since spring S8 is arranged to pass over to the left yof pivot 3l shortly lafter collar 8| covers ropening 83.

Thisl collar is designed to slide Y through this opening, a close iit being provided.

Dashpotl is connected to bar 84 so that after pin 9| strikes prong 85k and opening 83 is closed, prong t6 willrbe slowly rotated to the left by spring 88 sothat pin 9| and therefore drawer 'M and the supportedglasses, not shown, will be slowly moved to the left relative to ultraviolet Alamp 'I6 in order that all essential parts of the glass surfaces will be suiiciently irradiated. Drawer 'I4 will finally come to rest with end yplate '.'9 iiush with the bounding wall of openn ing 83.

Similarly pronged bar 93, dashpot 95, spring 96 and pin 94 on collar Bil will cause a creeping movement of tray 'I4 to the right when the tray is moved in that direction. Central cover plate 95a serves the same purpose as plate 4 of Figure movement inside housing l.

necessary. `65

i. 4Lamp 'it may be suitably connected with a manually operated orautomatic switch,

It is obvious that the plates |6 and 2l of Figure `i may be shortened and may be given a creeping In this way the dishlike end plates of Figure l2 would not be The drawer 4would be completely closed before the movement of the plates would start.

In kligure 13`moving belt 9S passes through housing |B| beingcarr'ied by pulleys Stand It which are rotatable on shafts le? and |63 respectively. These shafts are xed to supports |84 and |95 which are fastened to housing Il. This housing is fastened to base litt. Motor lill is suitably fastened to housing itil and has pulley vHi8 geared down so as'to rotate slowly. Pulley |98 makes contact with belt. 98 so that this belt sterilizer.

is moved around pulleys 39 and |38 when motor lill is energized by closing switch Ede shown diagrammatically. Plate li is fastened tohousing lill and serves to support belt $38 and glasses il! placed thereon, as the belt is moved through the Sterilizing ultraviolet tube |52 is showndiagrammatically as placed in the housing.

Switch mi) may be connected to energize tube E i2 and motor itl simultaneously. This switch may be arranged to make contact for a denite time andthen to cut od, sufficient time being allowed for belt s3 to carry the glasses from compartment E, through the housing and into compartment F. A suitable shelf may be arranged in the latter compartment so that the glasses will be forced upon the shelf and off belt ed. Even though such an arrangement is not used, the belt will slide underneath the glasses should they be stopped before the motor is cut off.

Hood ils is hinged to housing itl at H5 and is provided with handle |56 so that it can be lifted to place glasses lil upon belt 38 in chamber E.` The hood is then lowered in order to protect the operator from the rays. Hood H3 may be of glass so that the glasses can be seen. Similarly hood lift is hinged to housing itil at lll and is provided with handle fit so the hood can be lifted to remove the sterilized glasses in compartment F.

By means of this construction the glasses iii are slowly moved beneath sterilizing tube liz? so that all necessary parts of the glasses will be adequately irradiated. Motor l may, if desired, be used to produce a relative oscillatory movement between lamp |52 and belt 9S either the lamp or the belt being oscillated to expose the glasses suiciently.

In Figure ll'cabinet H9 has sterilizing tube |28 placed within and provided with a suitable switch and source of energy as usual. 'Iray ll hasattached thick rubber slab |22 with slots |23 so that instruments such as spoon 524 can be forced into the yielding rubber and will be held by the handle so that radiation from lamp |26 will adequately sterilize the bowl of the spoon and most of the handle. A number of tubes similar to tube l2@ may be used to provide radiation from a number of directions.

Similarly metal clamps |25, which may be rubber covered, are fastened to tray l2! and will hold instruments such as knife |27 with the blade up, and fork |26 with the tines up toward sterilizing tube |20. Other instruments such as those used in barber shops, doctors oices, etc., can similarly be sterilized. The instruments can of course be held in any suitable position, either horizontal, vertical, or otherwise. A suitable door or cover would be provided for housing H9.

By means of the device just described instruments can be adequately sterilized on the surfaces actually used, whereas if they were placed in haphazard fashion. in a container some of the instruments would shield others from the sterilizing rays.

Many possible changes of detail will be obvious. For instance several sterilizers of the type 'shown in Figure l can be placed one above the other, or a number of drawers can be so placed in an integrated housing. Likewise, the drawers may be moved vertically rather than horizontally, if desired. Many other obvious changes will be readily apparent.

As an illustration, the movable tray in Figure 12 can be made to move in two `or more steps rather than continuously. The tray may be held in one position against spring tension by a catch and then the catch can be released by a suitable timing device so that the tray will then quickly reach its nal position.

What I claim is:

1. In a sterilizer, a housing, means for creating sterilizing radiation within said housing, a pair of opposed openings in said housing, a carrier movable back and forth through said openings for carrying objects to be sterilized into and out of said housing, a closure for one of said openings at one end of said carrier, a closure for the other said. opening at the other end of said carrier, a closure substantially centrally located on said carrier said latter closure being adapted to close one said opening and then the other said opening as said carrier is displaced alternately in opposite directions through said openings.

2. In a sterilizer, a housing, means'for creating sterilizi'ng radiation vWithin said housing, a pair of openings in said housing, a carrier passing through said openings andvprojecting outside of `said housing, said carrier being adapted to carry objects to be sterilized into and out of said housing, a closure on said carrier adapted to close one of said openings at the end of travel of said carrier in one direction, another closure on said carrier adapted to close the other said opening at the end of travel of saidl carrier 'in the reverse direction, and a closure on said. carrier situated between said other closures and adapted to close rst one said openingand then the other said opening after said carrier is alternately displaced in opposite directions for the length of travel of said carrier.

3. In a sterilizer, a housing, electrical means for vcreating sterilizing radiation Within said housing, a pair of openings in said housing, a carrier passing through said openings and projecting beyond said housing, said carrier being adapted to carry objects to be sterilized into and out of said housing, a-closure for one of said openings on one end of said carrier, a `closure for the other said opening on the other end oi said carrier, a closure on said carrier situated'intermediate said closures y for closing either of said openings, and a time switch controlling said electrical means, said switch being operated by movement of said carrier.

4. In a sterilizer, a housing, electrical means for creating sterilizing radiation Within said housing, openings in said housing, carrying means for carrying objects to be sterilized into and out of saidl housing through said openings, and timing means operated by movement of said carrying means for energizing said electrical means for predetermined intervals of time.

5. In a sterilizer, a housing, means for creating sterilizing radiation Within said housing, a pair of openings in said housing, a carrier passing through said openings and projecting beyond said housing, said carrier being adapted to carry objects to be sterilized'into and out of said housing, a closure for one of said openings on one end of said carrier, a closure for the other said opening on the other end of said carrier, a closure on said carrier intermediate said other closures and adapted to close either of said openings, and means for causing slow movement of said: carrier for a predetermined distance before said carrier reaches the end of its travel.

ALBERT G. THOMAS. 

